Technical Field
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a developing device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus.
Related Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses include a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image with developer to form a visible image. The developing device has a configuration, such as seals provided at both ends in a longitudinal direction of a developer bearer to prevent the developer in the developing device from being carelessly scattered into peripheral portions of the developer bearer.
The seals are provided in contact with a surface of the developer bearer at both ends of the developer bearer in the longitudinal direction to prevent leakage of the developer in the longitudinal direction, thus preventing the developer from being scattered to the outside of each end in the longitudinal direction. To prevent leakage of the developer in the developing device to the outside even in the center in the longitudinal direction, it is desirable to provide other seals along the longitudinal direction. To prevent scattering of the developer, it is desirable to arrange the seals to overlap in respective ends in the longitudinal direction. However, if the seals are simply arranged to overlap, the developer borne by the surface of the developer bearer is dammed up in a portion where the seals overlap, and the dammed developer may be scattered.